50 Common English Idioms

1. as easy as pie means "very easy" (same as "a piece of cake")

Example: He said it is a difficult problem, but I don't agree. It seems as easy as pie to me!
2. be sick and tired of means "I hate" (also "can't stand")
Example: I'm sick and tired of doing nothing but ork. !et's go out tonight and have fun.
3. bend over backwards means "try very hard" (maybe too much!)
Example: He bent over backwards to please his ne ife, but she never seemed satisfied.
4. bite off more than one can chew means "take responsibility for more than one can manage"
Example: "ohn is so far behind in his studies. #esides classes, he plays sports and orks at a part$time
%ob. It seems he has bitten off more than he can chew.
5. broke means "to have no money"
Example: I have to borro some money from my &ad. 'ight no, I'm broke.
6. chane one!s mind means "decide to do something different from hat had been decided earlier"
Example: I as planning to ork late tonight, but I chaned my mind. I'll do e(tra ork on the eekend
instead.
". #$t it o$t% means "stop doing something bad"
Example: )hat noise is really annoying. #$t it o$t!
&. drop someone a line means "send a letter or email to someone"
Example: It as good to meet you and I hope e can see each other again. 'rop me a line hen you
have time.
(. fi$re somethin o$t means "come to understand a problem"
Example: I don't understand ho to do this problem. )ake a look at it. *aybe you can fi$re it o$t.
1). fill in for someone means "do their ork hile they are aay"
Example: +hile I as aay from the store, my brother filled in for me.
11. in aes means "for a very long time"
Example: Have you seen "oe recently, I haven't seen him in aes.
12. ive someone a hand means "help"
Example: I ant to move this desk to the ne(t room. -an you ive me a hand,
13. hit the hay means "go to bed" (also "hit the sack")
Example: It's after ./ o'clock. I think it's time to hit the hay.
14. in the black means "the business is making money, it is profitable"
Example: 0ur business is really improving. +e've been in the black all year.
15. in the red means "the business is losing money, it is unprofitable"
Example: #usiness is really going poorly these days. +e've been in the redfor the past three months.
16. in the nick of time means "not too late, but very close!"
Example: I got to the drugstore %ust in the nick of time. It's a good thing, because I really need this
medicine!
1". keep one!s chin $p means "remain brave and keep on trying"
Example: I kno things have been difficult for you recently, but keep yo$r chin $p. It ill get better
soon.
1&. know somethin like the back of yo$r hand means "kno something very, very ell"
Example: If you get lost, %ust ask me for directions. I kno this part of ton like the back of my hand
1(. once in a while means "sometimes, not very often"
Example: Have you been to the ne movie theater, 1o, only see movies once in a while. I usually stay
home and atch )2.
2). sharp means "e(actly at a that time"
Example: I'll meet you at 3 o'clock sharp. If you're late, e'll be in trouble!
21. sleep on it means "think about something before making a decision"
Example: )hat sounds like a good deal, but I'd like to sleep on it before I give you my final decision.
22. take it easy means "rela("
Example: I don't have any special plans for the summer. I think I'll %ust take it easy.
23. to et the ball rollin means "start something, especially something big"
Example: +e need to get this pro%ect started as soon as possible. I'm hoping you ill help me et the ball
rollin.
24. $p to the min$te means "the most recent information"
Example: I ish I kne more about hat is happening in the capital city. +e need more $p to the
min$te nes.
25. twenty*fo$r+seven means "every minute of every day, all the time"
Example: 4ou can access our eb site 24+". It's very convenient!
26. all of a s$dden means "une(pectedly", used to describe something that happens very 5uickly
Example: He had %ust gone to bed hen all of a s$dden the phone rang.
2". be all ears means "eager and ready to listen"
Example: 6o ahead and speak. I'm all ears%
2&. be fed $p with means "to hate something no, even though I may have liked it before"
Example: I'm fed $p with my %ob! I think I should start looking for a ne one.
2(. to b$ means "to bother someone". (7merican 8nglish)
Example: Hey, stop tapping your fingers. It's really b$in me%
3). a cinch means something that is very easy to do
Example: I didn't think I could run five kilometers, but ith the right preparation, it as a cinch.
31. cost an arm and a le means "very e(pensive"
Example: I'd really like a ne car, but they all cost an arm and a le.
32. to cram means "to study hard a fe days before a test"
Example: If you had studied hard for the past four months, you ouldn't have to cram so much this
eekend.
33. fresh o$t of somethin means "to have no more of something"
Example: I have to go buy some more milk. It seems e're fresh o$t no.
34. to et it (often negative) means "to understand"
Example: +hat did the teacher say, I didn't et it. &id you,
35. ot a min$te, means "&o you have time right no,"
Example: Hey, "oe, ot a min$te, I have something to sho you.
36. ive someone a hand means "help someone"
Example: -ould you ive me a hand moving this table, It's 5uite heavy.
3". rab a bite to eat means "5uickly go get something to eat"
Example: I'm going to go rab a bite. I'll be back in a fe minutes.
3&. drive someone $p a wall (or "drive someone cra9y") means "to make someone very angry"
Example: *y neighbor practices the piano every night, but he's terrible. It'sdrivin me $p the wall%
3(. to han on means "to ait"
Example: -an on a fe minutes. I have to make a phone call and then I'll be able to %oin you for lunch.
4). hard headed means "stubborn" or "unilling to change an opinion or idea
Example: I can't ork ith "oe any more. He's so hard headed%
41. have a chane of heart means "change a previous decision"
Example: I thought I ould change %obs, but no that my boss is treating me ith more respect, I've
had a chane of heart.
42. have mixed feelins abo$t somethin means "to be uncertain"
Example: I have mixed feelins about "oe. He's a very good teacher, but he has a very strange sense of
humor!
43. head o$t for means "to start on a long trip" (but it could be ithin a big city)
Example: +e're headin o$t for the countryside to pick some apples. +ould you like to %oin us,
44. -ow come, means "+hy,"
Example: -ow come e don't go to the movies any more, I guess e're too busy to en%oy ourselves these
days.
45. keep in to$ch (or "stay in touch") means "do not stop communicating $ send letters or call
sometimes"
Example: &on't forget to keep in to$ch. I ant to kno ho you're doing hile you're aay.
46. be kiddin means "to %oke or tease someone in a playful ay"
Example: 1o, I don't really have three ives $ I as %ust kiddin!
4". look down on means "think someone or something is not good enough"
Example: +e shouldn't look down on people %ust because they don't have as much money as e do.
4&. make ends meet (often used negatively) means "to have enough money to buy everything e need"
Example: 8ven though I make more money than last year, e %ust can't seem to make ends meet.
4(. miss the boat means "to miss an opportunity"
Example: )he sale ends today at noon. If e don't hurry, e're going to miss the boat!
5). next to nothin means "to cost very little"
Example: I ent to the ne discount store and bought these ne shoes for only five dollars. )hat's next
to nothin!